USDA Announces Preliminary Extension of Deregulation to GE Apple

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is announcing a preliminary determination to extend deregulation to a line of genetically engineered (GE) apple known as Arctic® Fuji. This GE apple developed by Okanagan Specialty Fruits, Inc. (OSF) is engineered for enzymatic browning resistance. APHIS previously reviewed and deregulated this GE trait in other apples.

APHIS has prepared a preliminary determination with an accompanying plant pest risk similarity assessment (PPRSA) and a preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). These documents can be viewed on the BRS News Webpage and will be available for public review and comment for 30 days upon publication in the Federal Register in the coming days.